Barriers to Doctoral Degree Attainment: Problems of the Period after Postgraduate Studies
https://doi.org/10.15826/umpa.2021.01.003
Abstract
Increasing the effectiveness of postgraduate programs is now becoming one of the most important issues in ensuring the economic development of the state. As a rule, Russian postgraduate students, who are aimed at getting an academic degree, fail to defend their theses during their postgraduate studies, and they need additional time to complete their work. The purpose of this research article is to identify and analyze the key problems faced by Russian postgraduates seeking to submit their dissertations for defense. Our investigation comes to be original in two aspects. First, in contrast to other empirical studies of postgraduate school, the authors’ attention is focused on the barriers to attaining a degree, which arise not in the course of study, but after graduation. Second, the analysis is based on interviewing those graduates who have successfully overcome these barriers and defended their PhD theses. The empirical base of the study is online questionnaire surveys of Russian PhDs (Candidates of Science) who have recently completed their postgraduate studies, as well as administrative and managerial workers responsible for postgraduate students’ training and certification. The quantitative data obtained indicate that the presence or absence of a dissertation council in an organization wherein postgraduate students are trained is one of the key factors determining the pace and effectiveness of the postgraduates’ proceeding to an academic degree. In general, the results of the study make it possible to conclude that the difficulties at the final stage of preparing a dissertation are largely due to the imperfection of the mechanism for pairing the systems of state scientific certification and scientific and pedagogical personnel postgraduate training. Thus, we discuss possible organizational and managerial decisions of how to bring these systems closer and improve the performance of postgraduate studies. This paper might be of interest for higher education researchers, as well as for scientific, pedagogical and administrative workers involved in the management of personnel training and higher scientific qualifications certification.
Keywords
studies,
postgraduate school graduates,
doctoral degree,
dissertation defense,
dissertation councils
Supporting agencies: This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (project nr 730000F.99.1.BV16AA02001).
About the Authors
B. I. Bednyi
National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Boris I. Bednyi – Dr. hab. (Physics and Mathematics), Professor, Director of the Institute for Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies
23 Gagarina pr., Nizhni Novgorod, 603950
+7 831 462-36-48
G. L. Voronin
National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod;
Institute of Sociology of FCTAS Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Gennadiy L. Voronin – Dr. hab. (Sociology), Associate Professor, Professor at the Department of General Sociology and
Social Work
23 Gagarina pr., Nizhni Novgorod, 603950;
Leading Research Fellow
24/35, bl. 5, Krzhizhanovskogo St., 117218, Moscow;
+7 831 433-83-49
A. A. Mironos
National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Aleksey A. Mironos – Dr. hab. (History), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Information Technologies in
Humanitarian Studies
23 Gagarina pr., Nizhni Novgorod, 603950
+7 831 462-36-46
N. V. Rybakov
National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Nikolai V. Rybakov – PhD (Sociology), Assistant Lecturer, Center for Research on Science and Development of Postgraduate
Education, Institute for Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies
23 Gagarina pr., Nizhni Novgorod, 603950
+7 831 462-36-74
References
1. Auriol L., Misu M., Freeman R. A. Careers of Doctorate Holders: Analysis of Labour Market and Mobility Indicators, OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2013/04, Paris, OECD Publishing, 2013, 61 p. doi 10.1787/5k43nxgs289w-en. (In Eng.).
2. Hasgall A., Saenen B., Borrell-Damian L., Deynze F. van, Seeber M., Huisman J. Doctoral Education in Europe Today: Approaches and Institutional Structures, available at: https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/online%20eua%20cde%20survey%2016.01.2019.pdf (accessed 14.12.2020). (In Eng.).
3. Castelló M., Pardo M., Sala-Bubaré A., SuñeSoler N. Why Do Students Consider Dropping Out of Doctoral Degrees? Institutional and Personal Factors. Higher Education, 2017, vol. 74, nr 6, pp. 1053–1068. doi 10.1007/s10734-016-0106-9. (In Eng.).
4. Haert M. van der, Arias Ortiz E., Emplit P., Halloin V., Dehon C. Are Dropout and Degree Completion in Doctoral Study Significantly Dependent on Type of Financial Support and Field of Research? Studies in Higher Education, 2014, vol. 39, nr 10, pp. 1885–1909. doi 10.1080/03075079.2013.806458. (In Eng.).
5. Bao Y., Kehm B. M., Ma Y. From Product to Process. The Reform of Doctoral Education in Europe and China. Studies in Higher Education, 2018, vol. 43, nr 3, pp. 524–541. doi 10.1080/03075079.2016.1182481. (In Eng.).
6. Skakni I. Doctoral Studies as an Initiatory Trial: Expected and Taken-for-Granted Practices that Impede PhD Students’ Progress. Teaching in Higher Education, 2018, vol. 23, nr 8, pp. 927–944. doi 10.1080/13562517.2018.1449742. (In Eng.).
7. Yudkevich M. PhD Programs in Russia: from the Soviet Legacy to the Present Day. Higher Education in Russia and Beyond, 2020, vol. 4, nr 25, pp. 12–14. (In Eng.).
8. Terentiev E. A., Bekova S. K., Maloshonok N. G. Krizis rossiiskoi aspirantury: istochniki problem i vozmozhnosti ikh preodoleniya [The Crisis of Postgraduate Studies in Russia: what Bears Problems and how to Overcome them]. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz [University Management: Practice and Analysis], 2018, vol. 22, nr 5, pp. 54–66. doi 10.15826/umpa.2018.05.049. (In Russ.).
9. Bednyi B. I., Mironos A. A., Rybakov N. V. Kak rossiiskaya aspirantura vypolnyaet svoyu glavnuyu missiyu: naukometricheskie otsenki [How Russian Doctoral Education Fulfills Its Main Mission: Scientometric Assessments]. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii [Higher Education in Russia], 2019, vol. 28, nr 10, pp. 9–24. doi 10.31992/0869-3617-2019-28-10-9-24. (In Russ.).
10. Bekova S. Vzaimosvyaz’ trudovoi deyatel’nosti i otseva v rossiiskoi aspiranture [Doctoral students’ attrition in Russian Universities: the role of employment], Doctor’s thesis, Moscow, 2020, 120 p. (In Russ.).
11. Rybakov N. Kadrovoe obespechenie nauki i vysshei shkoly v aspiranture rossiiskikh vuzov [Staffing for Science and Higher Education by Postgraduate Schools of Russian Universities], Doctor’s thesis, Nizhny Novgorod, 2020, 208 p. (In Russ.).
12. Reznik S. D., Chemezov I. S. Institut aspirantury rossiiskogo vuza: sostoyanie, problemy i perspektivy razvitiya [Postgraduate Education in Russian Universities: State, Problems and Prospects of Development]. Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Tomsk State University Journal], 2018, nr 430, pp. 159–168. doi 10.17223/15617793/430/22. (In Russ.).
13. Matushansky G. U., Zavada G. V., Matushanskaya Yu. G. Bar’ery v aspirantskoi podgotovke i pri zashchite kandidatskoi dissertatsii [Barriers Impeding Postgraduate Training Completion and Dissertation Submission and Defense]. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii [Higher Education in Russia], 2019, vol. 28, nr 8/9, pp. 55–66. doi 10.31992/0869-3617-2019-28-8-9-55-66. (In Russ.).
14. Terentev E., Rybakov N., Bednyi B. Zachem segodnya idut v aspiranturu. Tipologizatsiya motivov rossiiskikh aspirantov [Why Embark on a PhD Today? A Typology of Motives for Doctoral Study in Russia]. Voprosy obrazovaniya [Educational Studies], 2020, nr 1, pp. 40–69. doi 10.17323/1814-9545-2020-1-40-69. (In Russ.).
15. Gerasimova O. Ya., Kryachko V. I. Academic Career of Young Scientists: Motivations and Professional Roles. Upravlenets – The Manager, 2019, vol. 10, nr 6, pp. 77–87. doi 10.29141/2218-5003-2019-10-6-7. (In Eng.).
16. Mikhalkina E. V., Skachkova L. S., Gerasimova O. Y. Akademicheskaya ili neakademicheskaya kar’era: kakoi vybor delayut aspiranty federal’nykh universitetov? [Academic or Non-Academic Career: what Choice do Graduates of Federal Universities Make?]. Terra Economicus, 2019, vol. 17, nr 4, pp. 148–173. doi 10.23683/2073-6606-2019-17-4-148-173. (In Russ.).
17. Mironos A. A., Bednyi B. I., Rybakov N. V. Akademicheskie professii v spektre professional’nykh predpochtenii aspirantov [Academic Careers in the Spectrum of Postgraduate Students’ Professional Preferences]. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz [University Management: Practice and Analysis], 2017, vol. 21, nr 3 (109), pp. 74–84. doi 10.15826/umpa.2017.03.039. (In Russ.).
18. Bekova S. Does Employment during Doctoral Training Reduce the PhD Completion Rate? Studies in Higher Education, 2019, pp. 1–13. doi 10.1080/03075079.2019.1672 648. (In Eng.).
19. Gruzdev I., Terentev E., Dzhafarova Z. Superhero or Hands-Off Supervisor? An Empirical Categorization of PhD Supervision Styles and Student Satisfaction in Russian Universities. Higher Education, 2020, nr 79, pp. 773–789. doi 10.1007/s10734-019-00437-w. (In Eng.).
20. Margolin A. M., Melnikov R. M. Puti povysheniya effektivnosti podgotovki aspirantov [Ways to Improve the Efficiency of Doctoral Education]. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii [Higher Education in Russia], 2018, vol. 27, nr 12, pp. 9–19. doi 10.31992/0869-3617-2018-27-12-9-19. (In Russ.).
21. Bednyi B. I., Chuprunov E. V. Sovremennaya rossiiskaya aspirantura: aktual’nye napravleniya razvitiya [Modern Doctoral Education in Russia: Current Directions of Development]. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii [Higher Education in Russia], 2019, vol. 28, nr 3, pp. 9–20. doi 10.31992/0869-3617-2019-28-3-9-20. (In Russ.).
22. Terentev E. A., Bednyi B. I. Problemy i perspektivy razvitiya rossiiskoi aspirantury: vzglyad regional’nykh universitetov [Problems and Prospects for the Development of Doctoral Education in Russia: The View of Regional Universities]. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii [Higher Education in Russia], 2020, vol. 29, nr 10, pp. 9–28. doi 10.31992/0869-3617-2020-29-10-9-28. (In Russ.).
23. Mironos A. A., Bednyi B. I. K voprosu o gosudarstvennoi itogovoi attestatsii v aspiranture novogo tipa [On the Issue of Final State Certification in the Postgraduate School of a New Type]. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz [University Management: Practice and Analysis], 2016, vol. 103, nr 3, pp. 118–128. doi 10.15826/umj.2016.103.022. (In Russ.).
24. Guba K., Sokolov M., Sokolova N. Dinamika dissertatsionnoy industrii v Rossii: 2005–2015 gg. Izmenil li novyy instituysional’nyy trafaret akademicheskoe povedenie? [The Dynamics of Dissertation Industry in Russia, 2005–2015. Did New Institutional Templates Change Academic Behavior?]. Ekonomicheskaya sotsiologiya [Journal of Economic Sociology], 2020, vol. 21, nr 3, pp. 13–46. doi 10.17323/1726-3247-2020-3-13-46. (In Russ.).
25. Shmatko N. A., Volkova G. L. Mobil’nost’ i kar’ernye perspektivy issledovatelei na rynke truda [Mobility and Career Opportunities of Researchers on the Labour Market]. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii [Higher Education in Russia], 2017, nr 1, pp. 35–46. (In Russ.).
26. Kliucharev G. A., Savenkov А. I., Baklanov P. А. Kadry rossiiskoi nauki: problemy i metody ikh resheniya [Russian Science Personnel: Issues and Methods to Solve them]. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies], 2016, nr 9, pp. 117–125. (In Russ.).
27. Pakhomov S. I. (ed.). Obzor deyatel’nosti seti dissertatsionnykh sovetov v 2018 godu: analiticheskii doklad [Review of the Activities of the Network of Dissertation Councils in 2018: Analytical Report], Petrozavodsk, 2019, 108 p. (In Russ.).
28. Maloshonok N., Terentev E. Na puti k novoi modeli aspirantury: opyt sovershenstvovaniya aspirantskikh programm v rossiiskikh vuzakh [Towards the New Model of Doctoral Education: The Experience of Enhancing Doctoral Programs in Russian Universities]. Voprosy obrazovaniya [Educational Studies], 2019, nr 3, pp. 8–42. doi 10.17323/1814-9545-2019-3-8-42. (In Russ.).
Review
For citations:
Bednyi B.I., Voronin G.L., Mironos A.A., Rybakov N.V. Barriers to Doctoral Degree Attainment: Problems of the Period after Postgraduate Studies. University Management: Practice and Analysis. 2021;25(1):35-48. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15826/umpa.2021.01.003
Views:
867
Email this article 